CSC hosts training for counselors
CHADRON – Behavioral health counselors from western Nebraska and students enrolled in Chadron State College’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program attended a foundational workshop in Sandtray Therapy at CSC Sept. 21-22. The training was the first of its kind offered on campus.
A sandtray is a container that includes sand and miniature figures representing people, houses, and other everyday items. Clients can explain experiences to their counselor with the figurines in the tray. Dr. Tara Wilson, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, said a sandtray is a therapeutic tool that clinicians can use to help clients express themselves without words. Wilson is co-director of Behavior Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) Panhandle, the agency that hosted the event and covered the fee for participants.
The workshop instructor was Dr. Kristin Erickson, an Associate Professor at Bellevue University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling where she teaches a wide variety of counseling courses. She has extensive clinical, supervision, and leadership experience in urban and rural settings. Workshop materials said Erickson helps clients normalize and work through everyday anxiety, find purpose and meaning, and establish authentic and meaningful relationships. She also works with disenfranchised populations, addressing taboo and stigmatized subjects.
Wilson said the 13 workshop participants had the opportunity to practice building and processing sandtrays together. They also learned about possible applications with various ages and client populations, as well as multicultural and ethical considerations.
Rieley Maier, who is finishing her master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, attended the training. She plans to complete her practicum and internship with Behavior Management Systems in Rapid City, South Dakota, and hopes to use what she learned with clients at her current agency and in future work settings.
“Sandtray allows clients to be able to process a variety of concerns in their lives they may not otherwise be able to process. It can be used with a diverse client range. It can also be a great technique for self-care for myself as a clinician and other clinicians in many different fields,” Maier said. “It is amazing to have so many resources and opportunities provided to us from BHECN Panhandle that we may otherwise not be able to afford or find.”
Category: Campus News, Counseling